Hockey season is upon Ferris, as the Bulldogs will open their season against Miami (OH) on Oct. 4.
However, this isn’t the same Ferris team from last year. Following the Bulldogs’ 10-24-1 record (6-17-1 in CCHA) and an eliminating two-game sweep at the hands of Bemidji State in the CCHA Quarterfinals, Ferris underwent massive changes in the offseason.
The team lost a lot of long-time stalwarts. Their entire first line, comprised of senior forwards Antonio Venuto, Stepan Pokorny and Jason Brancheau departed the university. Venuto transferred to Merrimack, Pokorny is playing professionally in his native country of Czechia, and Brancheau ran out of eligibility. Brendan MacLaren, who donned the role of co-captain in 2022 before capturing the lone “C” in 2023, also had no eligibility left.
To add insult to injury, the Bulldogs also lost both starting goaltenders, senior Logan Stein and junior Noah Giesbrecht, to the transfer portal. Stein stayed in state with his transfer to the University of Michigan while Giesbrecht left for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y.
Finishing up subtractions for the team, the Bulldogs lost two promising freshmen in forward Luigi Benincasa and defenseman Jack Mesic. Benincasa, a recipient of CCHA All-Rookie team honors last year, headed to CCHA rival Minnesota State, while Mesic, who registered 10 points in 36 outings, made his way to Western Michigan.
Head coach Bob Daniels reflected on the losses of Benincasa and Mesic.
“Those hurts. Those were harder to replace,” Daniels said. “I don’t know that we did it in terms of Luigi [Benincasa], that was a tough loss. Then to lose him in conference, that one that left the mark. And then Mesic, we lost him to Western. I think we’re in a little bit better position in terms of his replacement. We picked up a defenseman from Fairbanks, I think we were able to plug that hole. I’m not going to say it’s a wash, but we’re good there.”
Ferris added three forwards, one defenseman and one goaltender through the portal. The Bulldogs’ forward core picked up junior Max Itagaki (Army), Redshirt sophomore Cole Burtch (Western Michigan) and junior Gavin Best (Michigan State). Ferris’ lone defensive transfer comes as junior Xavier Jean-Louis (Alaska). Noah West, a grad transfer from the University of Michigan, acts as one replacement for the losses between the pipes.
The Bulldogs also has a freshman class of nine coming in:
- Forwards: Jack Silich, Luke Lisko, Matt Corbet
- Defensemen: Chris Lie, Logan Heroux, Kade Turner, Conner Brown
- Goaltenders: Martin Lundberg, Connor McDonough
The coaching staff remains unchanged with Daniels coming back for his 33rd season with the Bulldogs. Assistant coaches Drew Famulak, Mark Kaufman and Dave Cencer are all still behind Daniels. A milestone will await Daniels this season, as he sits three wins away from 500 career victories.
For Daniels, the hardest thing about the offseason losses was having to replace a goaltending tandem that had their fair share of time in the net over the past few years. Daniels remarked that he “won’t have a feel” for the goaltending situation “until Thanksgiving,” but conceded that West will start in goal for the Bulldogs. Daniels also added that Lundberg and McDonough will have an opportunity to earn a back-up role behind West or beyond.
Lundberg, a Norway native, recognizes that the new trio of goaltending has the potential to fill in the absence of Stein and Giesbrecht.
“Me, McDonough and West can be a good trio to fill the shoes actually,” Lundberg said. “I mean, we have men like West [who] have been in the game for long. So I think it can be very good. McDonough has played in a junior league. So I think I can learn how the league works from both. I think we can be a good trio.”
Lundberg’s goals for the season are to learn the league, get in good shape and get to know his teammates better.
Travis Shoudy, a junior defenseman for the Bulldogs, was named captain over the summer. For Shoudy, the captaincy means everything.
“It just means a lot that the guys and the coaches trust me to lead them and set an example each day as to the precedence of hard work culture and just the way we want to present ourselves on and off the ice,” Shoudy said.
Shoudy also commented on the importance of all the new faces brought into the team, believing their play styles can “jumpstart us right from the start.”
Despite all the changes the Bulldogs have experienced since their loss to the Beavers in March, Daniels believes that the team will still bring something new to the table.
“There’s something a little different with this group,” Daniels said. “You can’t quantify [with] the eye test. They really work hard and they’re self-guided. The leadership team that’s kind of helping mold the culture, if you will, has done an outstanding job. So I’m really happy with where we’re at right now.”
Daniels doesn’t believe that the transfer portal has put the team in uncharted territory, as it’s the “new normal for everyone” regardless of the “headache” that the offseason losses were for him.
The Bulldogs will open their season against the Miami (OH) Redhawks on Saturday, Oct. 4 and Sunday, Oct. 5 in the Ewigleben Ice Arena. The puck drop is set for 8:07 p.m. on both nights.